This is widespread across eastern North America, but rare to absent on the southeastern Coastal Plain. In addition to having "basally disposed leaves" on flowering stems (declining in size from base to summit), juncea produces non-flowering shoots with large leaves during the summer. FNA 20 states that leaf surfaces are glabrous, but western plants are sometimes scabrid above and short-pubescent below. Such plants have been named var. scabrella Torr. & Gray: "a form with rigid and roughish leaves, growing in arid soil..." (Gray 1884). See also notes under missouriensis, which some colls. mapped here may approach: e.g. from GRAV (MUR), HARD (KY) and MCRA (MUR). These species are the first goldenrods to flower in Ky., usually during Jul-Aug. S. juncea is reputed to hybridize with several species (F); an unusual late flowering coll. from GARR (EKY) suggests a cross with gigantea (W. Overbeck, pers. comm.).